Caring For Turtles - Five Critical Factors!

Turtles make incredible pets. Understanding how to care for a pet turtle the right way is certainly worth the time, effort, and money you may spend. Remember, there is no excuse for the premature death of your turtle based on neglect or lack of knowledge. The five tips I'm about to share with you can help you provide a long, healthy, and happy life for your little friend.

Tip One:

Read books, watch videos, and do everything possible to learn as much as you can about your reptilian friend. A turtle's needs are very specific, and these needs can vary greatly from breed to breed. So make sure you know what kind of turtle you have (tortoise, slider, box, etc.) so that you can provide the best possible pet turtle care to your animal.

Tip Two:

A little elbow grease is required. You must set up your turtle's tank, acquire the very best type of food for your turtle's specific breed, and establish go-to veterinary care by simply calling around and finding a vet who has experience with turtles.

Tip Three:

As far as your turtle's drinking and swimming water is concerned, avoid using chlorine at all costs. Tap water is definitely chlorinated, so you will not want to use it unless you have let is set in a big container for 24 hours, minimum. This will allow the chlorine to evaporate, and then the water will be usable. Of course, if you've got a couple dollars to spend, you should definitely invest in a few gallons of spring water.

Tip Four:

It is imperative that you provide your turtle with a mercury vapor UVB heat lamp for basking. This type of lamp will provide your turtle with sufficient amounts of vitamin D3, which prevents bone disease and premature death. Without this lamp, your turtle is in serious trouble, so please do not overlook its importance! Leave the light on for about half of each day.

Tip Five:

Be sure to keep the temperature of your turtle's tank in its ideal zone. What is this zone? Well, it really all depends upon the particular breed of your pet, so again, please educate yourself. A general guideline to follow is 80* F in the daytime and 70* F by night, but I can't stress this enough... learn about your turtle's specific needs based on its breed! To heat your tank, you should use an underwater heater.

There is never a good reason for your turtle to die prematurely. All you need to do is educate yourself a little. Go to the library and check out a few books, or buy one of your own. This simple act in and of itself can help you extend your turtle's life by many years. Turtles can live an extremely long time if cared for properly, so invest a little time and money at the very beginning, and you will see that it was well worth it years down the road!

I absolutely adore turtles. I think they make far better pets than most folks know. I applaud you for your commitment to becoming educated and really taking care of your special pet the right way. This will give you years and years of happiness. Yes, it's going to be a ton of fun. But right now, it's time to learn, learn, learn!

Sadly, lots and lots of pet turtles meet their graves several years before it was their time. They are being killed through neglect and ignorance. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that you learn all you can about your turtle so that you can both feel good about each other for many years.

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